The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for disposing of needles utilized for medical purposes. More particularly, the invented apparatus is for use in destroying such needles after use.
Medical use of needles in syringes, IV""s and blood withdrawal result in the need for safe disposal of the needles after use. Blood borne pathogens, such as those associated with AIDS, can contaminate a used needle. When an injection is given, the blood of the recipient is left on the exterior of the needle and can also enter the tip of the needle, sometimes flowing all the way to the syringe, thus infecting all or part of the apparatus. Withdrawal of blood for tests and blood banks involve drawing potentially infected blood into the needle and syringe area.
In recent years, small incinerating devices have been developed that are specifically designed for destroying hypodermic syringe needles. The needles may be destroyed by inserting the metal needle, attached to the hypodermic syringe, into the incinerating apparatus where heat or electricity is utilized to thermally neutralize, melt, or disintegrate the needle. Some examples of such incinerators are found in Ch""ing-Lung, U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,169; Butler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,621; Cantarero, U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,767; Yelvington, U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,862; Yelvington, U.S. Pat. No. 5,468,928; Tanguy, U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,772; Haines et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,355; Descent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,414; Butler; U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,706; Champion et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,709; Truesdale et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,877,469; Hall et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,169,259; and Whiteside et al., U.S. Des. Pat. No. D440,309. However, in all of these devices, the user sometimes has difficulty inserting the needle into the device at the proper location and angle. Accordingly, there remains a need to provide a needle destruction apparatus that provides the user with increased flexibility in this regard.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that is able to destroy needles using high temperatures that are generated by an electrical current so that diseases are not spread through discarded needles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a needle destruction apparatus that is lightweight and portable.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that enables the user to have increased flexibility regarding the location and angle of placement of a needle into the apparatus.
It is a further object the present to provide a needle destruction apparatus that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are achieved by a needle destruction device. This device has a housing with a first electrode and a second electrode positioned therein in such a way as to create an annular space between the electrodes. In use, a needle is inserted into an opening in the housing and then into the annular space between the electrodes. This creates a short circuit, and the needle is destroyed by the high temperature resulting from the short circuit.
Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention.